the day after

It is Saturday afternoon, the day after Christmas. The house is unusually quiet.

All I can hear is the sound of a fire, my computer running and turkey soup simmering on the stove.

I read my new cookbook. Pick up some leftover Christmas chaos. Vacuum up Chloey hair.

I walk downstairs and find no lights on. That is weird. Bedroom doors open. Not so weird.

Walk into each room and find...

The Pill.

On his almost finished, lower bunk-bed addition. Which has no mattress.

He has every pillow off our bed and is sound asleep.

E.

Upside down on her bed with her head buried under a quilt. Also sound asleep.

With Chloey at the top. Sound asleep.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

I like the sound of Christmas being over.

The Christmas break officially began yesterday at 3:20. I am already tired. E and The Pill spent some time with a couple of our favorite friends/babysitters, where they inherited more fabulous dress-up gear and have been entertained since.

Later last night, a knock at our door brought Santa Claus. The Pill ate up every single bit of it. Little E, on the other hand, couldn't figure out why the voice sounded familiar, but the face didn't match. At all. I even found myself sliding up next to Santa for a better look. It was good.

The Pill decided to give Chloey his new Starbuck's reindeer this morning-yes we have friends who drink and shop at the coffee shop-and even in her old age she found her inner puppy and raced all through the house. With hysterical children in hot pursuit.

The remainder of the day will be spent baking for our new neighbors. I have never been one to succumb to the the pressure of gifting the whole neighborhood, but since we are new to the street we figured it a great way to say hello.

Hoping the spirit of the season is finding you...merry. And filled with the energy of children who believe.

in the stable

As I was making my way towards the couch this morning, after a frightful night of stomach problems, I found the latest scene in the stable.

This could only mean one person.

The Pill.

When I asked him if the animals were cuddling to keep warm, he told me that they were "actually eating each other".

Oh. Well then. Merry Christmas.

If you need a gift, this Playmobil Nativity Set is a gem. The kids have so much fun with it and I have so much fun watching it change daily.

Well...

...my new house is finally box free. The last few were emptied out yesterday and I feel a weight lifted. Everything is in a place, maybe not its final resting place, but a place. Now it is starting to feel and smell like my home. I am soon to be making my first payment on the thing and if that doesn't bring a sense of if being mine, I don't know what will. I can now have quiet, calm moments in it where I just sit...read...think...or blog. Which I have missed doing on a more regular basis. My life is chaotic and fun and has lots of good stuff worth remembering.

First blog-to-do? Show off some of my pictures done by Casey McFarland. Here are just a few of the 300+ I have to choose from. And remember. If you ever need a photographer, this is your man.

Well, there is one blog post I can check off the list.

we are in!

And have been for a week. Three weeks really isn't that long to be without your own address, but it was definitely a weird feeling. Our new pad is starting to feel more and more like home. It helps when my fave girls come over and tell me it already smells like it belongs to me. The kids are doing fabulous and adjusting so well. They crawled into their own beds the first night here and it was just like our old home. We didn't hear from them until the next morning. In fact, E is sleeping better than ever. It is funny how even with the extra room we gained, the children are still constantly underfoot and life is just as chaotic as always. More updates and some pictures (from the 80's) to come.

the blue ribbon goes to...

Today after school at grammy's was tramp time... and the winner's are: E. Who did 56 consecutive bum bounces without stopping. And then sprawled out on the tramp and giggled. Which made me giggle. The Pill. Who did 20 front flips with only a little bouncing in between. He would have kept going. I made him stop. (he also asked me today if I bought a doll to help me learn how to dress my child?) Me. For jumping for 20 minutes and not freaking out everytime The Pill pummeled toward the edge to certain bone-breakage. When was the last time you jumped on a tramp? It is a lot of work.

the ducks

Rooming with my Grammy has lots of perks. Good food, really good night sleeps and a bit more time to simply enjoy my children. Yesterday, while the temps hovered in the 30's, we bundled up to walk around the block and feed the ducks. My children have been lots of times with Granny, but never with me. Soon the ducks sweet little hangout along the canal will be completely iced over and they'll have to move back up to 1st Dam for the rest of the season. It was a feeding frenzy.

The kids doing their silly swim dance along the bank.

Elli behind the camera snapped a shot of me and The Pill in the 'pokey tree'.

Me and E. Man...I adore her. I am going to enjoy this quiet life at Grammy's while I can. The 27th will hopefully bring our new house closing, followed by the moving, unpacking and settling frenzy.

weird

We have been out of our home for a couple days now. It feels weird. We transitioned from having our home, to a weekend at the condo in SLC, to rooming in grammies bsmt for a couple weeks. It is weird that we all seem to be taking it in stride, maybe because we know it is only temporary. We have signed the paperwork on a new house and have asked to close as quickly as possible. It is a nice home in excellent condition. It is dated, think country blue and mauve, but with a gorgeous, updated kitchen and family room. Its 1 acre of property is exactly what Ripp has always hoped for, but still in a very nice neighborhood which makes us all happy. As Ripp and I were laying in bed yesterday morning, with no thoughts of having to pack and move in our head, we thought it weird that we had really sold our childrens first home, were moved out, and anxiously waiting to unpack it all again. It happened quick. Thanks to my wonderful family who is taking us in for the next few weeks. Here, there, wherever we are welcome, hopefully giving everyone the break they need. Because we won't be doing this again. The house we are purchasing is it. The home we'll live our days out in. The home my children will bring their children home to. The home that will finish raising us all. Unless Ripp really does think he wants to retire in the lonestar state. Then we may do it all again. But I can't think that far ahead, that is way too weird. Being in a new home for the holidays is as far out as I can think. Hilarious picture of what lie ahead for my old home to come...

hApPy HaLlOwEeN!!!

Have a creepy one.

get me off!!!

I am on an emotional roller-coaster right now...and I can't get off!!! There are plenty of things I could blame this on, including the blanket of snow covering my yard (and I hear more is coming), but I can pretty accurately pinpoint the cause. My home is under contract and will officially be someone else's in 10 days. Yes, the one Ripp and I bought when it was just the two of us. Yes, the one that I am leaving now with two children. It is so weird to imagine looking at them in a different home, with different rooms, and a different feel. I actually wondered to myself today how mean it would be to call it all off. Surely the couple buying our home would understand, and be grateful to take their children to dinner when they drive up from SLC next weekend instead of making them haul overfilled boxes and solid wood furniture. Ripp does remind me that we are doing this for numerous good reasons, I remind myself that change is good, but seeing my kiddos curled up on the chair when it is still dark out, reading about African safaris makes me want to stay put.

And now here I am. Home alone. With my emotional and dramatic thoughts. The Pill wanted to go to the babysitters house for a donut eating contest this afternoon and E is at school. It is quiet. I thought I would eat some lunch, pack some boxes and go for a run. As I was staring at the pile of boxes that is getting bigger in the corner (in my dining room of all places) I notice this heart-felt addition.

She summed it up for all of us with a black sharpie. I told Ripp that I wanted to get all the stuff out so that we could spend our last night in our/their empty house, playing in the rooms and talking about some of the great memories made here. He looked at me like I was crazy. Why? Because for as emotional and dramatic as I can be, he is 10 times worse.

I just figure that as long as I am on this ride, might as well get the full thrill. No regrets.

The Pill

On his birthday, October 19, 2004.

five is fine

The Pill is 5 tomorrow. Sniffle, sniffle. We celebrated yesterday with a few of our closest friends in the middle of a beautiful fall day. Jumping, wagon rides, a clown, treats and friends. Today The Pill is sick, I guess you can have too much fun. As my Dad always says, "Isn't there a law against that?"

This Sunday afternoon is definitely being used for rest. Which is too bad, since it is another picture perfect fall day and I know they won't go on forever.

I haven't yet come to grips with my little man being 5, but I still have a few hours to work it all out. As long as tomorrow doesn't bring a drastically different child, five is fine

HaPpY bIrThDaY!!!

finally

The only second grader in the whole school to still have all her baby teeth, is a new girl today. Thanks to her Dad. Who decided that half-way through pictures with Casey last night would be a great time to pull the very wiggly tooth.

As you can see, her mouth was more than ready. With her new tooth already making its appearance a couple weeks ago, we were a little worried we were going to end up with a shark mouth on our adorable blondie. No fear. A bite into her quesadilla a couple days ago set the wheels in motions and allowing her Dad to tie a string around it during pictures last night sealed the tooths fate. She would do anything for her Dad-except let him attatch the other end of the string to Chloey's collar. A quick tug, a lost tooth in the grass, a search and a mouthful of blood. All documented by Casey!!! It was awesome. How I wish I could have a live-in professional photographer.

I am feeling hopeful that we got some great shots last night. If not, at least this moment in history was captured by someone else while we all lived it. Money well spent.

school pics 2009

Instead of giving our hard earned money away to Lifetouch for school pictures this year, I decided to get out the great camera I was gifted for Christmas and do my own. I am happy. And pretty proud of myself.

The Pill and E

Casey McFarland

In a week and a half, my family is going to get shot by Casey McFarland. Shot with a camera that is. I am filled with a mixture of excitement and anxiety. Excited because his work is AMAZING, he lives just down the street, and we are shooting here. At my house, in my yard, around my 'hood. If we are really doing this whole moving thing, I want to capture my home, our family as it is right now, and some of what our lives have been like living here. Anxious because the thought of getting everyone ready is stressful and I think everyone worries that nothing will turn out. I should know better. Really good photographers always get the shots. Go here to check out his blog and here to browse his website. Then pick up your phone and schedule yours today. I know you won't be disappointed. Pictures to come...Happy Weekend!

1000 Splendid Suns

Every now and then I read a book that makes me think. Educates me. This is by choice, as I choose to keep my reading light-hearted and trashy. The violence and brutality that I see and hear of is enough to keep me up at night, add an authors brilliant writing and I am sure to wake up with puffy, red eyes. However, my Mother dropped of a book with a sticky note on top. It read, "Ali, read this. Start it today." So I did. And one chapter into Khaled Hosseini's, 1000 Splendid Suns, I knew I was in for gut-wrenching experience. This book follows the lives of two generations of Afghan women over 3o years, through the Soviet invasion, the reign of the Taliban and the rebuilding that followed. I don't think that I can put into words how I felt reading it and for days following. The brutality of men, the strength of women, the resiliency of children, and hidden all throughout, the compassion found in surprising places. Like I said, I struggle with how educated I really want to be sometimes, but came away from this book with a greater respect for my country, our leadership and the people who need our help being liberated. If you have some time (you won't need much, you won't be able to put it down), I recommend this book. And I warned you, it will tear at your heart strings, but you will walk away (or run, like I did) a better person for having read it. Then go pick up some trashy, chick-literature to chase the blues away.

best dressed

In honor of Autumn's official arrival, we put on our best dress.

bike parts and mended hearts

Yesterday morning, E and I had a good one. (she later referred to it as a discussion, we both know it was a fight) The combination of my being entirely too stubborn, and her being as equally over dramatic made for some real (unnecessary) fireworks. All over a broken bike part. That she was determined to keep around until I finally find it in the back of her closet, a good 2 months down the road, and throw away. She would have never known. However...I am sick of the piles of clutter. Rocks, sticks, pieces of paper, old cards and now, bike parts. I refused. Refused to have it lie around, and walked it out to the garbage. The meltdown followed and continued for a good 15 minutes. Her becoming more dramatic, me becoming more stubborn. We were going nowhere fast. We dried tears, hopped on our bikes and left for school. I told her I loved her and then spent the rest of the day feeling guilty for letting something so lame get me going. I fished the broken fender out of the garbage and along with a new notebook, tucked it in her mailbox for her to find after school. Which she did and thanked me with a giant hug while making sugar cookies. Sugar cookies made from equal parts love and guilt. A while later I found this, placed neatly in my 'mailbox'... It said "Thank-you. Mom I love you." The bottom half of paper was filled with X's and O's. It makes the ridiculous fight over the bike fender almost worth it. About an hour later she asked if I liked her gift and if I REALLY wanted to keep the gloss. Of course I don't, it is never about the gift.

a friday night

Friday night at our house was loud!!! But a good kind of loud. Laughter, screams, a cracking fire and the occasional, mischevious giggle of a little brother.

E had five of her girlfriends over for a late night. If I could hand-pick a group of girls for her, it would include all of these faces. They are sweet, funny, polite and I adore all of them. It is times like this, watching more memories being made in my backyard, that I know it will be hard to leave this house and area. It has been good to us.

We ate pizza, roasted marshmallows, played Ghost in the Graveyard and went out for a night adventure walk, armed with flashlights. The Pill had a few on edge after telling them that he and Ripp had found wolfman tracks at the baseball field. Monkey bars in the dark and all was forgotten.

My funnest moment? Driving around the south end of town with all the windows down, Black Eye Peas, I Got a Feeling blaring out of the speakers and all six girls singing at the top of there lungs.

For those of you who know the lyrics to that song...it was a good, good night.

baby steps

One nice thing about having your home on the market is that it stays clean and organized. The possibility of having strangers inspect your home at the drop of a hat motivates you to stay on top of things. No stacks of papers, lingering loads of laundry, or piles of shoes at the doors. And because I am not constantly cleaning or picking up clutter, I have more time to think...and blog. The Pill finally started preschool this week, too. Less little superhero messes and a break in the constant string of chatter. I can be a tad more productive in a quiet house. I also have more time to exercise. I just made it home from run. This would make it about the 7th time I have ran since completely a marathon in May. Boy...how fast you lose that fitness. After the marathon, I thought I had come to terms with doing a lot less running. Okay, no running. That I was okay going out to walk the dog, occasionally hitting pilates, and spending way more time in the mountains on my bike. And I am okay with all that, but am admitting that I miss being dedicated to training for a goal. So I am considering a half marathon to get the ball rolling. This mornings run was baby step number one. I couldn't have been more than 4 miles. It is taking some self-control to not jump in the car to clock it and telling myself that it doesn't matter how far I go, just that I get out. At about the halfway mark, Bon Jovi was shouting in my ear that he'd be there for me, but it was Jewel's sultry voice telling me to have a little faith in her that got me home. As her voice trailed away, just in time for me to turn up the hill to my house (I strongly dislike that hill), I decided to have a little faith in myself. Turns out the hill wasn't as long or difficult as I remember. Baby step number one, check!!!

techie needed

Help! Can anyone tell me how to get my header picture to span the width of the page, so that there isn't a big white space on the sides of my Tulip Mandala. The tulip mandala, BTW, is a peice of art hanging in my dining room that I took a picture of, cropped, brightened, and uploaded. Aren't I clever? I have searched and tried, Ripp (my resident techie) has searched, found way more answers and tried...to no avail. And generally speaking, Ripp doesn't get stumped by any computer related issue. We even found the 'official' pixel measurement of the blogger header and it is still being stubborn. All of the techies at Ripp's disposal at work are entirely too busy to be bothered with my blog problem. So to the few of you who read this little 'ol blog and are computer savvy or have your own techie in your back pocket, would you please ask around. I will thank-you with cookies.

apple days

What are you doing this Saturday?

My city is hosting its annual celebration, Apple Days. The best parade in the valley starts at 4 pm and cruises right past my house. The lawn will be freshly mowed and you are all invited to pull up a piece of grass. The candy to children ratio is always great and last year we pocketed boxes of Crayola crayons, toothbrushes and hair ties. And seriously, lots of candy. So bring a bag. Then head over to the famous park where the festivities continue with tons of activities for the children. That is where we will be, hope to see you there!

one of my favorite things

In my garden, I have tomatoes, cucumbers and basil. If I could get good, crusty bread to grow on a vine I would plant that as well. Here is why.

This is one of my favorite summer indulgences. I throw it together (it is seriously that easy) a couple times a week for lunch, occasionally for a snack, for dinner and would have it for breakfast if it complimented coffee. It is locally grown (in my backyard), 100% organic (guaranteed) and has that fresh taste that just captures the bounties of summer.

So next time your are hungry and have a bowl of garden tomatoes staring at you in the face, give this a try.

TOMATO AND GRILLED BREAD SALAD

recipe courtesy of Martha Stewart's Everyday Food cookbook

1/2 lb country bread, cut into 3/4 inch slices

1/4 cup, plus 2 T olive oil

3 large tomatoes, but into 3/4 inch dice (about 4 cups)

1 cucumber, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch dice (about 2 cups)

1/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil, torn into bite-sized pieces

1 T red wine vinegar

Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper

1. Heat a grill to medium. Brush the bread with 2 T olive oil on both sides. Grill until lightly charred on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes. Let bread cool slightly, then cut into large cubes

2. In a large bowl, toss the bread crumbs with tomatoes, cucumber and basil. Drizzle with the vinegar and remaining 1/4 cup olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine.

Enjoy!!!

What I have found:

-I have used asiago, sourdough, ciabatta and any other crusty bread and am happy with any and all.

-When in a real serious fit of hunger, use the toaster.

-Buttering the bread works great, too.

-I have tried it with balsamic vinegar (my favorite), but don't like it here. Stick with the red wine vinegar.

Now if I could just get raspberry crumb cake and homemade vanilla ice cream to grow in the garden, my summer palette would be complete.

this long weekend

I plan to rest, relax, and rejuvenate...and live soley off these beauties.

Have a great long weekend!

a swimming hole...and unrelated thoughts

I thought she was taking a while to get into the bath.

In our house, Mom is not a big fan of tubs. Something about more of the water ending up on the floor than stays inside the tub walls. But this time, she promised that she wouldn't make a mess. As I was moving through the house, cussing anyone who dared make a mess (because you never know when they might call to show it) , I though it sounded a little quiet. Since I believe she has passed the whole drowning-in-a-bathtub phase, I checked in to what else could keep her so quiet. With no splashing sounds. Found this.

Little weird, bobble-head dogs suctioned to the bottom of the tub and some really big goggles and a snorkle peaking out. Along with her little shoulder. Sidenote: I can't believe how little a shoulder joint can be and still function. When she crawls in bed next to me in the morning in her little tank top, I think ahead to her as an adult. That someday, all the little teeny-tiny parts of her will become big. They will drive a car, graduate from college, hold a bouquet, hold children...I am starting to get sick. The point is, everything about her, minus the attitude, is so little.

And that is good. She can still fit comfortably in the bath tub. And as we transition towards fall and away from public crypto-infested pools, it is nice to know that she and her little friends can still escape to their underwater worlds in our renewed swimming hole. Minus the splashing.

I am also hoping that the presence of goggles and snorkles in the tub will give our home a lived in quality. That stangers will be able to imagine all the fun they can have in this house. We've set the bar high.

Ripp likes me

and my legs...apparently.

At least that is what I gathered from the smile on his face when I asked him about this picture on my camera. Nothing like knowing how to make your girls heart flutter a decade into your union.

for sale

add space on my forehead. and my house.

i am telling myself:

that change is good. and for various reasons, we should do this now.

that it is a good time to sell...and buy.

that E will get through it. she isn't too keen yet.

that The Pill will understand that we will take everything. EVERYTHING! i promise.

that my yard will somehow follow me.

that it is the right choice for our whole family.

time will tell.